Protecting Dunlath
by Rosie eisoR
Summary: Douglass and Maura discuss apple trees and legends. A sequel of sorts to Protecting Teddy.


Check out Goldenlake (http://fiefgoldenlake dot proboards dot com).

It was inspired by the drabble prompt there 'Hauntings', though is evidently not a drabble. Thanks to Kat for her help.

Written with _Protecting Teddy_ in mind, though also works as a standalone. Enjoy!

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Maura and her people liked to pretend nothing happened. Even as they were salvaging the remains of the fief, and not quite daring to believe the fields weren't going to be sewn with salt, they were talking about what a nice day it was, and their hopes for the crops that year.

Maura was no different, chattering away to her nurse about her new dresses, pushing the fact that she was actually allowed new dresses firmly out of her mind.

They couldn't pretend away the apple tree, though. It stood as a figment of her sister's treason, as a monument to Tortall's greatest mage. She would always think of it as a statue, rather than a tree.

Every week, she made time to sit at the foot of the tree, and listed every little bit of good news that had happened.

Some times were harder than others.

This was one of them. Maura was sure that good things had happened that week, but today she was overpowered by what the tree represented. She sat with her back against the bark, her heart pounding away, and wondered if he could feel it.

"Thought you might want some company."

Maura started, her dress catching on the rough bark, squinting up at her visitor. Sir Douglass had only arrived last week, and she still was not used to him - which was perhaps why the treason was occupying her mind more than usual.

"Had to bring Lord Theodore, though, if you don't mind. Fruit gives me the creeps."

Maura smiled shyly, tugging at the blades of grass around her feet. "When they told me I was going to get a protector, I didn't think he'd need one too."

"Stuffed bears are all the rage at Court, dear Maura," he told her loftily, sitting opposite her, and setting Lord Theodore in the middle. "The King has at least seven."

She began to tell him that might be treasonous talk, but stopped, her face heating up. He seemed to know what she'd meant by it.

"What have you told the tree today?"

Maura looked up at him, startled, but did not question how he knew.

"Not much," she said softly. "It's - difficult today."

"The time will come when this will be nothing more than a tree," Douglass observed, in a rare moment of seriousness. "But the legend will live on, and no doubt tell a far more favourable story of Numair than the reality. Bet you've forgotten that he has awful taste in literature."

Unwillingly, he provoked a smile out of her, but she wasn't quite yet ready to ask exactly what Numair's taste in literature was. It occurred to her that this must be the first time Douglass had been near the tree. Maura was prone to keeping watch out of her bedroom window, lest the tree morph back into the man it had once been.

"What will history think of me?" Maura half-whispered, childishly not wanting the tree to hear in case it was a negative portrayal. She flushed at the thought, and was glad it went unspoken.

"It will say that you're a very brave girl. Ten feet tall, with the raven locks of the Goddess, and an aura of instant command. It will admire your bear collection, and say you got all your ideas from your Knight Protector!"

"They won't change my height," she objected, laughing. "That's silly."

"Of course they will. They change the Lioness's," Douglass answered, leaning back on his elbows. "Barely three foot tall, she is. Master of stilts."

"None of her family were treasonous, though, were they?"

He was silent a long time, looking grave. It didn't suit him, nor did it last long. "I used to be better with a sword that she was, did I tell you that? Used to beat her in fights all the time."

"You're lying!" she exclaimed delightedly.

Douglass grinned at her. If she'd known him better, she would have been able to detect the hint of relief in his expression. "Not a bit of it. Of course, we were about eleven at the time, and she has beaten me more than adequately every time since. I keep trying, though. She'll realise I'm superior one day - though if she asks, you didn't hear that from me."

Maura was too busy giggling to catch the glint in his eye. He reached up, and plucked two apples from the tree, tossing one to her.

She caught it, turning it over in her hands.

Douglass settled Lord Theodore in his lap. "Right, first lesson from your Knight Protector. Trees are just trees, no matter if they're sprouting apples out of season or not. No matter their origin."

Maura swallowed hard and nodded, averting her eyes.

"Take a bite."

She shook her head.

"I am not advocating you eat all your enemies after battle, mind. That is a lifestyle choice only Alanna makes."

When it didn't even raise a smile from her, he took the first bite from his own apple. Maura gave him a side look. He still resembled Douglass. The tree was still firm against her back. The ground hadn't re-opened.

She took a bite of her own apple - her face puckering instantly.

"Rubbish fruit, isn't it?" Douglass asked cheerfully, throwing his over his shoulder. "Sour as the person. Now, let's bid the tree good day, and you can take Lord Theodore and me to see your wolves. Best introduce me sooner rather than later, since I'll be sticking around for a while."

He was already standing. Maura turned to the tree, and whispered, "Goodbye", before getting to her feet too. "This doesn't mean I'm going to teach you how to blow holes in my fief!" she said warningly.

Douglass extended his hand to her, and allowed her to lead him to the forest, asking questions about each of the wolves all the way. Maura didn't even think to look back.


End file.
